Electric heater



L. F. LYNN ET AL Feb.6,1923.

ELECTRIC HEATER 5 sheets-sheet 2 Filed Feb. 16

Feb. 6, 1923.

1,444,621 L. F. LYNN ET AL ELECTRIC HEATER Filed Feb. 16, 1922 3 sheets-sheet C5 Patented Feb. 6, 1923.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

LAWRENCE F. LYNN AND JOHN D. LEWIS, OF TACOMA, WASHINGTON.

ELECTRIC HEATER.

Application filed February 16, 1922. Serial No. 536,976.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, LAwnnNcn F. LYNN and JOHN D. Lnwis, citizens oi. the United States, residing at Tacoma, in the county of Pierce and State o lVashington, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Heaters; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description. of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

This i invention relates to an improved electric heater and one object of the invention is to provide an electric heater having an improved type of housing in which the h eating'elcment will be positioned, this housing being so constructed that the air will pass in a tortuous path through the housing before passing through the compartments thereof in which the heating element is placed. It will thus be seen that the air will he preheated before entering the compartment having the heating element positioned therein and this air will be very well heated when it leaves the heater.

Another object 01? the invention is to provide a heater in which the housing may be provided with an outer shell, an inner shell positioned in. spaced relation to the outer shell and thus provide an. air passage botween the inner and outer shells and an inner compartment within the inner shell and open at its upper and lower ends so that the air after passing upwardly between the inner and outer shells may pass downwardly between the inner shell. and inner compartment and then pass upwardly through the inner compartment where it will he thoroughly heated by the heating elemen positioned in this inner compartment:

Another object of the invention is to pro ide a heater in which the inner shell may be supported within the outer shell by means of cross strips which extend beneath the inner shell and are connected with. the outer shell and in which the inner compartment may rest in the inner shell and have its upper end portion engaging a cover carried by the outer shell and closing the space between the upper end portion of the inner compartment and outer shell.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heater which may be easily taken apart when it is desired to clean or repair the same.

Another object of the invention is to provide a heater in which the inner com partment may be removed from the inner shell of the housing after the cover thereof has been removed and carry with it the heating coils which will be positioned in the inner compartment,

Another object of the invention. is to provide a heater which will be formed principally of sheet metal and will thus be light in weight and easy to handle and at the same time strong and durable.

This invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a perspective view of the improved heater.

Figure 2 is a vertical longitudinal sectional view through the heater.

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the heater.

Figure 4 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view through the heater taken along the line 47 i of Fig. 2.

Figure 5 vertical transverse sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of the inner compartment in which the heating element will be placed.

Figure 7 is a view showing the heating element in perspective and the energizing circuit. diagrammatically.

This improved heater is provided with a housing having an outer shell 1 and an inner shell 2 which is placed within the outer shell. in spaced relation to the same, thus providing a space between the inner and outer shells so that air can pass upwardly between these two shells as indicated by the arrows in Figs. 2 and 5. This inner shell will rest upon cross strips which extend transversely in the bottom portion of the outer shell and have upturned end portions through which fastener bolts will be passed: Securing bolts 5 are provided to releasably anchor the inner shell to the supporting strips 4 and it will thus be seen that this inner shell can be removed very easily when desired. A base strip 6 extends about the lower end portion of the outer shell and is provided at the corners thereof with depending feet 7 so that the heater will be supported in spaced relation to the floor and air thus permitted to pass beneath the heater and upwardly through the space between the inner and outer shells. The switch 8 which will be of a conventional construction is mounted intermediate the length of the housing and will preferably be provided with a neck extension 9 so that the wires will be led into the inner shell 2.

The inner compartment 10 in which the heating element shown in Fig. 7 will be n'iounted, is positioned within the inner shell and is formed of sheet metal and open at its upper and lower ends. Supporting legs 11. are 'n-ovided so that this inner compartment will be supported above the closed bottom oil the inner shell. The upper end Ofli this 111- ner compartment extends above the upper end of the inner and-outer shells and will re ceive depending nee: or flange 12 which extends downwardly about the slotted portion 13 ot the cover it. This cover ll. has its solid border portion extending from the slotted portion to the upper edge oil? the outer shell and in spaced relation above the upper end of the inner shell. The depending tango portion 15 of the cover fits against the outer shell and securing screws 16 are passed through this flange 15 to removably secure the cover in place. From an inspection of Figs. 2 and 5, it will be readily seen that the air after passing upwardly through the space 8 between the inner and outer shells will pass over the upper end of the inner shell and will then pass ,(ilownwardly through the space 17 between the inner shell and compartment 10 until it reaches the lower end of the innercompartment. The air will then pass upwardly through the inner compartment and in doing so will be thoroughly heated by the heating element positioned in this inner compartment before it passes out through the grating 13. It will be obvious that when the heater is in operation, the innor compartment 10 and inner and outer shells will be heated and therefore when the air is passing upwardly between the inner and outer shells and then downwardly between the inner shell and inner compartment, the air will be preheated and will en-' ter the inner compartment as warm air.

The heating element is in the form oi a double coil, each of which is formed from a single length of wire bent to provide upper and lower tl-shaped portions 18 which are connected by sections 18 which ex'eiuil di gonally of the in er compartment shown inFigs. 5 and i, It should be further noted that the U-shaped portions of one of the coils extend in opposed and overlapping relation to the llsshaped sections of the second coil and that the diagonally disposed portions of the two coils extend .n crossed relation. Therefore, when the air is passing upwardly through. the inner compartment 10. the air will be heated in a very efficient "manner and will pass out through the gratm l3 as very warm air. The wire 19 which at en s r m th s it h 8 is co nec ed t h er nina s of he o c ls at one side o he heating and the e m nals of the coils at the other side of the heating ale has not been shown as it is conventional structure and if desired may be done away with and the wires 20 and 21 connected with a battery 23. It will thus be seen that there has been provided a heater so constructed that it may be operated by electricity and so constructed that the air will be heated in a very ellicient manner and preheated before it enters the inner compartment where the final heating takes place. It will be further noted that the heater is provided with a heating element in the form of a double coil which is very effective in operation and will serve to thoroughly heat the air. It will also be noted that the heater is so constructed that it may be readily taken apart for repair or cleaning and then easily and quicle ly put together again.

l l e claim:

1.. A heater of the character described comprising a housing open at its bottom and having a top provided with an outlet. intermediate its length and width, an inner shell in the housing closed at its bottom and open at its top and having its walls in spaced relation to the walls of the outer shell and terminating in spaced. relation to the top, an open-ended inner compartment positioned within the inner shell and supported above the bottom thereof and having its upper end engaging the top of the housing about the outlet portion thereot, and heating means within the inner cmnpartnlent whereby air may be preheated in passing upwardly be tween the inner shell and outer shell and downwardly between the inner shell and inner compartment and thoroughly heated in passing upwardly through the inner compartment and out through the outletin the top.

An an. heater comprising a housing having an outer shell supported in spaced relation to the floor and open at. its lower end and provided with top with its intermediate portion as an outlet portion supports in the lower end portion of said outer shell an inner shell in the outer shell rest ing upon the supports and closed at its lower end and open at its upper end and having its walls extending in spaced relation to the walls and top of the outer shell whereby air may pass upwardly between the shells and into the inner shell through the upper end thereof, a depending flange carried by the top aboutthe outlet portion er f, an in r c mpar men pesitie Within the inner shell and open at" its upper and lower ends and having its open upper end receiving the depending flange oi" the top, the inner compartment being positioned in spaced relation to the walls of the inner shell and lniving its lower end supported in. spaced relation to the bottom of the inner shell whereby air may pass dowmvardly between the inner shell and inner compartment and upwardly through the inner coinpartment and out through the outlet of the top, and heating means in the inner eompart ment.

5-). An air heater comprising a housing having a top rniovided with an outlet portion. a heating chamber in the housing having its upper end portion. positioned about the outlet portion of the top thereof whereby air may pass through the heating compartment and through the outlet in the top ol the housing, and heating means in the heating compartment, said heating means being electrically operated and in the term of a coil structure having portions extending substantially horizontally in the uppe and lower end portions of the heating compartment and portions extending diagonally therein in crossed relation between the upper and lower sections of the coil.

4;. An air heater comprising a housing having an inlet and having a top provided with an outlet for heated air, a chamber in the housing having its upper end portion positioned about the outlet. in the top of the housing and having its lower end portion open to provide an inlet, and heating means in the inner chamber in the term ol an electric coil having portions positioned adjacent the upper and lower ends of the chamber and positioned substantially horizontally and transversely of the chamber,

and portions connecting the upper and. lower horizontally disposed portions and extending diagonally in the inner chamber in crossed relation.

5. An air heater comprising a housinghaving' an inlet and having a top provided with an outlet for heated air, a chamber in the housing having its upper end portion positioned about the outlet in the top of the housing and having its lower end. portion open to provide an inlet, and heating means .in the inner chamber said heating means being in the form of a double electric coil, each coil having portions positioned transversely in the chamber adjacent the upper and lower ends thereof and substai'itially U-shaped with the U-shaped portions of: one coil extending in an opposite direction to the U shapedportions oil the second coil an d in overlapping ;elation to the same and diagonally disposed coil portions extending in crossed relation in the inner chamber and connecting the arms oi the upper U-shaped sections with the arms of the lower U-shaped sections.

6. The structure of claim 5 having the U- shaped portions of each coil in the upper portion of the chamber extending in an op posite direction to the U-shaped portions of the said coil in the lower portion of the chamber, the U-shaped portions of the two coils having their arms extending in overlapping relation with the arms oi the U- shaped portions of one coil extending between the arms of the U-shaped portions o l the second coil.

In testimony whereof we have hereunto set our hands.

LAWRENCE F. LYNN. JOHN D. TiEVVlS. 

